Ipsa Scientia Potestas Est
by Quinn the Penguin
Summary: Knowledge is Power What if Lily Evans wasn't friends with Severus Snape? What if she didn't know about the magical world until 4th Year? And what will she make of it all, especially James Potter. Updates every Friday. Rated T because i'm paranoid. AU Story.
1. 4 Years Earlier

_Ipsa scientia potestas est_

by Quinn the Penguin

**Disclaimer: I don't own JK Rowling's Harry Potter. I do own however a very cute hamster :3**

**My first proper fan fiction so all reviews are greatly appreciated! All questions in this chapter will be answered later on, because what's a story without a bit of mystery? (; And remember it's an AU story!**

[Prologue]

4 Years Earlier

"Sev, I wish you wouldn't say that about her. She's actually quite nice when you get to know her," Lily had pleaded, hoping to change Severus' views on her older sister Petunia. Like many young girls she idolized her sister. However Severus was not to be persuaded. When he looked at Petunia he saw a precocious, judgmental child. How could he begin to like her if she wouldn't accept the fact that there were witches and wizards? Petunia liked to see everything in black and white. To her wizardry was bad, she couldn't seem to grasp that there could be a middle ground.

Petunia had known about magic for a few years now and the more signs that Lily displayed made her grow more and more frustrated. _She _was the older one, so in Petunia's narrow mind it was unfair that Lily got the 'magic powers'. The closer Lily and Severus got, the more Petunia tried to drive them apart. Her only motive? Jealousy. She thought that if Severus never told Lily she was a witch then she could easily hide the letters that Petunia had longed for a few summers ago. But time was running out and Severus was sure to tell Lily of her abnormality in the next few days. So Petunia did what Petunia did best. Be sneaky and deceitful. She wrote a letter to Severus, a particularly nasty letter one might add, to Severus explaining things about his past that no ten year old should have to know about their family. So when Severus saw this letter he was presumably furious. He rushed to where he knew Lily would be and started screaming and yelling and sporting cruel words directed at Petunia. Lily was shocked and saw the letter that Severus wrote, but refused to believe that her older, _perfect _sister could be so callous and cold-hearted. She claimed that Severus was trying to break Lily and Petunia's friendship, which left Severus speechless. _How could she be this oblivious? _When Severus left their meeting spot he felt numb. With no friends and with a shocking revelation about his family he didn't know where to go, or what to do.

When Lily arrived home, Petunia was happy to listen to her sister rant about Severus' accusations and nodded along claiming she was 'better of without him.' When Lily's powers began to become even more noticeable over the following weeks, Petunia persuaded her Dad to enroll Lily somewhere where she would become a proper lady and iron out all of her 'abnormal features'. Mr. Evans agreed half-heartedly. Ever since his wife had died a few years back he was more withdrawn and let Petunia take charge, which Petunia thoroughly enjoyed.

She intercepted all of Lily's Hogwarts letters and on September 1st when Lily should be at Platform 9 and ¾ she was in a car, on the way to 'Miss Ashford's Institution for Young Lady's'. Being completely disconnected from the outside world, and it stayed this way for the next 2 years. Lily moved back to her childhood home before she started what would have been her third year at Miss Ashford's due to insufficient funds to pay for the tuition. So the red haired, green-eyed girl attended her local high school. Unaware of the world she should have been in.

_Thank you for reading! I am going to try and do updates every Friday so watch this space! Remember to review, QtP xo_


	2. The Letters

_Ipsa scientia potestas est_

By Quinn the Penguin

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own Harry Potter**_** that **_**belongs to JK Rowling. I do however own an extremely adorable hamster :3**

**Chapter 1**

Lily's day had started off normally as many of these things do. It was her last day of Year 9 _(Hogwarts Equivalent Year 3)_ and she was really looking forward to a long break. She thought to her first day in Year 9 at Spinners End, after a troublesome two years at Miss Ashford's due to strange occurrences she was glad to be out. When Lily had first came to Spinners End, it was _not _how she though normal high school was. The television had portrayed it as a place where the cheerleaders and football players ruled the school, walking around in their uniforms and letterman jackets. She had expected more cliques as such but instead found everyone pretty normal. Fights were rare and if they did happen, were quickly broken up. Lily had believed there were big football matches where everyone would go and cheer and they all had their own lockers, which they could decorate but there was none of this. Instead she started each day at eight fifty-five and went home at half past three. Everything was rather boring and ordinary. Lily had instantly made new friends and very quickly became one of the most liked girls in the school. However, once every few months something strange would happen.

She would be doing the long jump in a PE lesson and was able to jump three times the amount of other girls despite being one of the smallest. Onlookers claimed 'she seemed to fly through the air'. Joseph Green gave her a flower and it 'flew' out of her hand. As the year went on more of these sporadic things happened. So Lily was definitely glad to be out for the summer.

The day had been quite average; Jessica Brook had given a lecture titled 'The Importance of Nail Care' in first period, which, in Lily's opinion, was well written, and if on a more, _educational_ topic she could have got a much better mark.

In second and third period they watched films, due to 'having finished the curriculum' but everyone knew it was because all of the teachers wanted to check their emails or whatever while the class sat for an hour and texted under the tables.

In fourth, they played dodge ball and in fifth Lily spent the whole hour drawing a very elaborate picture of a Lion and a Serpent in a full out battle. However nothing could have prepared her for the shock she got when she arrived home that afternoon.

Now, the Evans family lived on the 'better side of town' and thanks to Petunia, their house was clean, tidy and definitely one of the prettier ones. So when Lily found an owl sitting on the front porch she was a bit shocked. But when she saw what that letter contained she was sure she was in a dream, she cursed at the sky, the ground and the owl who was still sitting next to her. Which promptly lead to neighbours gossiping on the youngest Evans daughter's sanity.

Lily took the letter from the owls mouth and looked at the front:

_Miss Lily Evans,_

_4 Josephs Road,_

_Spinners End,_

_Cokeworth._

She turned it over to open it and gasped when she saw the seal. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._ Was this real? Was someone playing a joke on her? _Looking suspiciously around, Lily didn't seem to notice anything unordinary. Putting her key in the door and stepping inside she hurried to the kitchen. With trembling hands she opened up the letter. 3 sheets of paper fell out. She picked up the first one and read:

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL_

_of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY _

_Headmaster: __Albus Dumbledore_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,_

_Supreme Mugwump, __International Confed__. of Wizards)_

_Dear Miss Evans,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at __Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry__. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._

_Yours sincerely, _

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

It looked professional and Lily believed less and less that it was a practical joke. She opened the second piece of parchment up to find a requirement list.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL_

_of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_UNIFORM_

_Fourth-year students will require:_

_ sets of plain work robes (black)_

_ plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

_ pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

_ winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)_

_ Robes (only for special occasions that will occur through the year_)

_Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags._

_COURSE BOOKS_

_All students should have a copy of each of the following:_

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 4)_

_by Miranda Goshawk_

_A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot_

_Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling_

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_

_by Phyllida Spore_

_Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger_

_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them _

_by Newt Scamander_

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_

_by Quentin Trimble_

_OTHER EQUIPMENT_

_1 wand_

_1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_

_1 set glass or crystal phials_

_1 telescope_

_1 set brass scales_

_Students may also bring and owl OR a cat OR a toad._

_PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FOURTH YEARS ARE ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS_

Lily stared down at the piece of paper in front of her, where was she going to get this all from?! _A Wand? A Cauldron? _Sighing Lily opened up the third letter hoping it would explain a bit more than the others.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL _

_of WITCHCRAFT and WIZADRY_

_Dear Miss Evans,_

_Please excuse the lateness of this letter; this letter should have been delivered a few years ago! Have you ever found anything strange happen to you or those around? When you feel a strange emotion something strange happens? This is due to the fact that you are not a normal girl. You are a witch. _

_Here at Hogwarts we train young wizards and witches to control their magic and other necessary skills and talents you possess. _

_It is vital you speak to someone about this; they will take you to Diagon Alley to buy your equipment and to Platform 9 and ¾ where you will board the Hogwarts Express. _

_Please accept this owl as an apology gift of not explaining this to you sooner. There is only so much one can say in a letter so please find me on the first day of term to talk further. Until then, please use your owl to confirm your place here; the owl will know where to go. If you happen to have any queries, send a letter to Adelaide M__á__rquez, again the owl will know where to find here._

_Once again, I am very sorry about the lateness,_

_Your Sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

_Headmaster_

Lily gasped as she read the letter. _Wha-What did this mean?_ She looked down at the little brown owl that had followed her into the house.

"I'm a w-witch." Lily said uncertainly.

_a/n oops! Sorry thought this chapter had been uploaded! Please remember to review!_

_QtP xo_


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